BELFAST International Airport has returned to the top 10 of UK airports for the first time in a decade.
The boost follows a 16 per cent jump in passenger numbers in April with 395,640 people carried.
And authorities at Aldergrove say they are expecting the airport's busiest ever summer period that it said will help deliver more than 5 million journeys this year.
According to the most recent statistics, Belfast International Airport recorded 4,589,618 passengers in the year to April, pipping Newcastle by almost 14,000 to re-enter the top 10.
The growth is being fuelled by expansion among existing airlines such as easyJet while the numbers are set to grow yet further with the decision by Ryanair to open a new base at the airport.
Ryanair commenced operations with a four a-day schedule to Gatwick at the end of March.
In the autumn, the carrier will add 10 European routes including Berlin, Milan and Warsaw.
The top five domestic destinations are Gatwick, Liverpool, Stansted, London Luton and Glasgow. The stand-out performer in April was Gatwick where April passenger numbers were up 84 per cent to 73,000.
Faro leads the five most popular international destinations, followed by Amsterdam, Palma, Alicante and New York.
Airport managing director Graham Keddie said the airport was a key strategic asset for Northern Ireland which he said was capable of delivering much more for the regional economy.
“Our return to the top ten is wonderful news for the team. We’ve worked hard to get to this position and there’s every likelihood that 2017 will be even better," he said.
“We’re able to achieve this result with serious impediments in our way such as Air Passenger Duty (APD). Take that ‘roadblock’ away, and we know with certainty that we could add dozens of new routes and boost passenger numbers by up to three million.
“Once again, I’d appeal to our new administration to look seriously at taking control of APD as its clear that thousands of new jobs and unprecedented growth in direct in-bound tourism would result if this tax were swept aside.”
